NIA chargesheet against Pakistan national, 2 others

Srinagar, January 9

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday said the agency has filed a chargesheet against a Pakistani resident and two over-ground workers (OGW) associated with the Lashkar-i-Toiba outfit.

In a statement here, the NIA said that it has tightened its grip around Pakistan-backed terrorist organisations operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

The NIA spokesperson identified the accused as a Pakistani national, Habibullah Malik, also known as Sajid Jutt, Saifullah, Noomi, Numan, Langda, Ali Sajid, Usman Habib, or Shani. Malik hails from Kasur district in Pakistani Punjab and has been linked to various terrorist attacks in Poonch and Rajouri districts.

According to the NIA, Malik, along with Hilal Yaqoob Deva alias Sethi Soab and Musiab Fayaz Baba alias Shoaib alias Zarar, both from Shopian in Kashmir, have been named in the supplementary chargesheet filed before the NIA Special Court, Jammu. The charges have been filed under relevant Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The supplementary chargesheet follows investigations into the case, which was registered suo motu by the NIA on June 21, 2022. This case involves a conspiracy, both physical and in cyberspace, by various proscribed terrorist organisations aiming to spread fear, terror and to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir, the NIA spokesperson said.

The investigations have revealed that the trio conspired to execute terrorist attacks on security forces and others in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with the intent to wage war against the Government of India. Malik operated as an active commander of the Pakistan-based The Resistance Front (TRF), a faction of the proscribed LeT terrorist outfit. He was actively involved in motivating vulnerable Kashmir youth to join TRF/LeT for conducting terrorist activities in J&K, the spokesperson said.

The NIA said Malik had radicalised the other two accused, Hilal and Musiab, who had begun working as OGWs for him. Following Malik’s orders, the two OGWs facilitated the collection and transportation of funds and weapons to and from other OGWs to aid and support terror attacks in J&K.

“This entire conspiracy was found to be part of larger plans orchestrated by banned terrorist outfits to perpetrate acts of terror and violence by indoctrinating local youth and mobilising OGWs to disrupt peace and communal harmony in J&K,” the spokesperson stated.